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Henry Bloch, a minor Gaulish noble and senior artisan at the Empire's Third Arsenal, became disillusioned with the rigid imperial regime as the War of the Four Nations turned against Gaul. Fleeing to neutral Columbia with his family and a suitcase of blueprints, he endured hardship before meeting Owen Brynley, a veteran of the Columbian Revolutionary War, in a bar called Raythean in 1035. Brynley recognized the value of Bloch's work; their workshop attracted the Columbian military and frontier Pioneers, and they named their company after the bar.
Today Raythean Industries is a multinational conglomerate spanning electronics, vehicles, robots, weapons, and clothing, headquartered at the former Brynley residence. Its core business is Originium Crystalline Units, with R&D centered in Columbia. Its empowered R&D department, testing committee, and logistics allow rapid deployment of factories across Terra.
Bloch favored civilian technology and diversification, wary of military cooperation reminiscent of Gaul; yet Raythean both pioneered civilian applications of crystalline units and introduced them to warfare. Current head Bernie Brynley divested non-core operations and defended the firm against ethical criticism, stating conflicts happen with or without Raythean. Leadership evolved from Bloch's conservative stability to Brynley's radical pragmatism.
Henry Bloch, a noble and senior artisan at Gaul's Third Arsenal, recalls leaving Gaul during the war fever. He studied Originium industry in Lingones, graduated with excellent grades, and developed military equipment, but as the Ursine armies approached, budgets shrank, deadlines tightened, and he grew disillusioned with the rigid imperial regime. With Gaul's fall approaching and rumors that neutral Columbia was accepting "immigrants," Bloch packed blueprints and documents in a suitcase and fled with his wife and newborn child, never looking back.
In Columbia, Bloch had to do everything himself. He peddled blueprints that looked like scrap paper, enduring hardship that he called the darkest time in his life. Though he cursed war, his livelihood became intertwined with it.
The other founder, Owen Brynley, young and jovial, was a veteran of the Columbian Revolutionary War who had traveled with his parents' small business before the war. In 1035, after military academy studies, Brynley visited a local bar called Raythean, where he spotted Bloch drinking away his sorrows after lying to his family about talking business. Brynley quickly recognized the value of what Bloch carried. Working out of Brynley's house, Bloch focused on development while Brynley handled manufacturing and marketing. Bloch's experience and Brynley's independence army connections drew the Columbian military's attention, and business grew rapidly. Frontier Pioneers, hearing campfire rumors of a designer proven in the War of the Four Nations, praised the performance and durability of their products.
They named the company Raythean after the bar where they met. At Bloch's insistence, it never used war- or weapon-related words in its name, remaining steadfastly Raythean Industries. Unlike natively Columbian corporations, Raythean is inherently multinational, stemming from its founders, who, after lives of conflict, welcomed foreigners with open arms. Its operations span machinery, electronics, vehicles, robots, weapons, and clothing, and its employees appear even in remote markets such as Kjerag.
Today Raythean is best known for electronic Originium equipment, headquartered at the former Brynley residence. The main shareholders are the founders' children, with Bernie Brynley, interested in administration, mainly in charge. Research and development of Originium Crystalline Units is the core business; highly-integrated Originium circuits are the most profitable product. Production relies on R&D, which depends on Columbian academia for research and talent, so both are concentrated in Columbia. The motto, "Innovation makes the future," is embodied in a supply chain where R&D can authorize third-party manufacturers to directly access Raythean's production equipment, and only core technological components are made in-house. A testing and assessment committee reviews projects at intervals, and numerous well-funded independent laboratories make Raythean attractive to graduates. Its own logistics and sales centers allow modern production lines anywhere in Terra on short notice.
Bloch's memoirs show internal disputes: before retiring he hinted unhappiness with deep cooperation with the Columbian army, which reminded him of the "mad times" in Gaul, and championed civilian technology like Originium Crystalline Units despite poor profit prospects, believing diversification brought resilience—seen here as protecting his new life's stability. Ironically, Raythean both pioneered the units' civilian application and introduced them to the battlefield, creating new forms of warfare.
Bernie Brynley, pragmatic and more proactive than his father, streamlined operations to focus on Originium electronics, military equipment, and advanced equipment manufacturing. Asked about ethics, he said the Raythean trademark in conflict zones does not make the company an accessory; conflicts happen with or without Raythean, and its job is to earn pay and trust by supplying effective products. Bloch's conservative imperial tradition has been overwritten by Brynley's generation, and these contrasting legacies made Raythean one of the foremost names in Originium electronics, military equipment, and casual clothing.
RAYTHEAN
INNOVATION MAKES FUTURE
EPIGRAPH
I would like to express my gratitude to Mr. Bloch, whose memoirs were an invaluable source of information in this section.
Thinking back on it, it was for the better that I left Gaul. In the midst of war fever, there was little that a minor noble like me could do, other than express our loyalty to an emperor who was probably not even paying attention.
Even at the height of Gaul's war machine, however, such loyalty was little more than a matter of tradition. I was less concerned about where the emperor's sword was pointed, than the well-being of my pregnant wife, and the uncertain future I faced.
Day after day, the Third Arsenal received requests from the army to build more and more destructive weapons with shorter and shorter deadlines. The work was exhausting, but we continued to put up the appearance of pride, so that we can tell the people who determine our fates that things were getting better.
This was nothing more than an illusion, however, one that melted away when Ursine armies appeared on the northern horizon. Before the war, many Gaulishmen thought that the campaign knights of Kazimierz would bog the Ursines down. These hopes turned out to be very much misplaced.
— Memories of Henry Bloch, Part II
Looking back. Raythean Industries' presence throughout Terra seemed to be an evolution of things, following the course of history since the end of the War of the Four Nations in 1031. Craftsmen brought up in the old school went to Columbia and took root there, enjoying the fruits of the new environment and becoming multinational entrepreneurs.
Unlike other natively Columbian corporations, Raythean is inherently multinational, going back to the legendary encounter between its two founders. Having lived a life of conflict and killing in their respective homelands, the two founders welcomed foreigners with open arms, preferring to salute with wine and a handshake, than with steel and cannon fire. Raythean employees can be seen even in remote markets such as Kjerag.
Raythean's operations are widespread in more than just the geographical sense; it encompasses everything from machinery to electronics, vehicles to robots, weapons to clothing for all occasions.
Gaul was one of the strongest nations on Terra, until the great war that changed the fate of far more than just the four nations that were the main protagonists. From advanced Originium industry to its unique client state system, the Gaulish Empire needed and maintained superiority in its military equipment. Henry Bloch, founder of Raythean Industries, was one of the foremost swordsmiths in the Empire.
Bloch was of noble blood and a senior artisan for the Empire's Third Arsenal, but he had little ambition and few accomplishments other than his title. He attended school in Lingones where he studied Originium industry, graduating with excellent grades, and was hired by the Third Arsenal straight out of school, working on military equipment development.
Fanaticism may have swept society, but cooler heads prevailed in the labs where new weapons were being developed. Still, there was little Bloch could do as the military's requirements and expectations for new weapons grew increasingly unrealistic. Budgets shrunk and deadlines grew tighter as Ursus joined the war. As pressure from army brass escalated, Bloch became completely disillusioned with the rigid imperial regime.
The rest, as they say, is history. Bloch's parents had already passed away. His wife had given birth to their first child. As the fall of Gaul approached and panic spread with the rumors of the Empire's defeat, Bloch considered his best course of action.
Amongst the rumors were whispers that Columbia, which remained neutral during the War of the Four Nations, was quietly accepting "immigrants" from Gaul. All his life, Bloch had been a model citizen who lived by the book and did what he was told. That ended when he packed up as many blueprints and documents as he could in a suitcase, joined the ranks of fleeing refugees with his family, and never looked back.
As a noble in Gaul, there were many things I had no need to think about. There were no nobles in Columbia, and I had to do everything myself. There were times when I second-guessed my decision. From what I have heard, little changed for the nobles under Victorian rule, other than the name they swore fealty to.
But there is no point dwelling on what-ifs. The Columbians were looking for “ready-made goods”. I peddled blueprints that looked like scrap paper to most, in an unfamiliar land, with no one to rely on. It was a time of hardship, one that my wife and child had to endure with me. It was the darkest time in my life.
I cursed war for what it did to me. But there are no second chances in life, and my livelihood was inextricably intertwined with it.
– Memories of Henry Bloch, Part III
Let us now turn to the story of Owen Brynley.
Young and jovial, he was already a veteran of the Columbian Revolutionary War before his encounter with Henry Bloch. Before the war, he had traveled around Columbia with his parents who ran a small business. One day in 1035, Owen Brynley, who had returned home after a period of military academy studies, went to a local bar by the name of Raythean. There, he caught sight of Henry Bloch, drinking away his sorrows after lying to his family that he was going out to talk business. With his experience and education, Brynley quickly realized the value of what Bloch was carrying.
Bloch no longer needed to lie to his family. Working out of Brynley’s house, Bloch could now focus on development, while Brynley took care of manufacturing and marketing. Thanks to Bloch’s extensive experience and Brynley’s connections in the independence army, the little workshop quickly caught the attention of the Columbian military, and business grew rapidly.
Their luck did not stop there; because of the reliability of their handiwork, as demand from Pioneers grew, rumors about a weapon designer whose quality had been proven in the War of the Four Nations spread through the campfires on the frontier. Customers on the Columbian frontier had nothing but high praise for the performance and durability of their weapons and equipment.
Bloch and Brynley named their new company Raythean, after the bar in which they met. Due to Bloch’s insistence, however, Raythean never used words associated with war or weapons in its name; it remained, steadfastly, Raythean Industries.
Today, Raythean Industries is an industrial conglomerate best known for its electronic Originium equipment, and its headquarters are located at the site of the former Brynley residence where the founders once worked. The main shareholders are the children of Owen Brynley and Henry Bloch. Owen Brynley's son, Bernie Brynley, was more interested in the company's administrative matters than his counterpart, and became the one mainly in charge of Raythean Industries as a matter of course.
The research and development of Originium Crystalline Units is Raythean's core business, and highly-integrated Originium circuits its most profitable product. The production of Originium Crystalline Units is reliant on the support of R&D, which is in turn dependent on Columbian academia to supply research and talent. Raythean's R&D and crystalline unit production departments are therefore inevitably focused in Columbia.
Raythean's motto is "Innovation makes the future", a philosophy that they have embodied. Research and development comprise a significant part of the Raythean supply chain, and the department is empowered to authorize third-party manufacturers to directly access Raythean's production equipment. Only core technological components are manufactured in-house. The R&D department is a complex organization with many project and testing teams. A testing and assessment committee reviews projects at certain intervals to assess progress and outcome.
The department has numerous well-funded independent laboratories, making it one of the most attractive employers to Columbian graduates. To deal with issues that arise during production, Raythean Industries has its own logistics and sales centers to go with the testing and assessment committee, R&D department and production department, allowing them to deploy modern production lines and factories anywhere in Terra on short notice.
Raythean Industries has its own internal disputes. Henry Bloch's memoirs indicate that, prior to his retirement from company leadership, he had hinted his unhappiness with the company's in-depth cooperation with the Columbian army, which reminded him of the "mad times" in Gaul. He also championed the development of Originium Crystalline Units and other civilian technology, despite the lack of profitable prospects at the time, believing that diversification was the key to resilience. This was perhaps uncommon in Columbia, where mad scientists are the norm rather than the exception, but I see it as Bloch trying to protect the stability of his new life.
Of course, the discovery of the military application of Originium Crystalline Units was likely not what Bloch had in mind. It was Raythean that spearheaded the application of this new technology in the civilian realm, diversifying its portfolio beyond the military realm, but it was also Raythean that introduced Originium Crystalline Units to the battlefield, ushering in new forms of warfare.
Bernie Brynley, current head of Raythean Industries, is a pragmatic character, and his strategy is more proactive than his father's. Under his leadership, Raythean has streamlined its operations, divesting non-core operations to focus on Originium electronics, military equipment, and advanced equipment
manufacturing. He has maintained a firm stance when it comes to the public's concerns on security matters. When asked about the company's ethical position at a press conference, he answered, "Just because the Raythean trademark is seen in conflict zones does not make us an accessory to the act. Conflicts will happen, with or without Raythean Industries. Let me emphasize that Raythean is not in the business of creating conflict. Most of the time, our customers only come to us when their door is about to be kicked open, and our job is no more or less than to earn our pay, and the trust our customers place in us, by supplying them with effective products."
From Henry Bloch to Bernie Brynley, the leadership of Raythean Industries has exhibited subtle changes over time. There was always a bit of the old imperial bureaucratic tradition in Henry Bloch, a conservative desire for stability, but it has been definitively overwritten by Bernie Brynley's generation, which grew up in the era of Columbia's rapid development. These contrasting legacies, one conservative, one radical, have made Raythean into what it is today, one of the foremost names in Originium electronics, military equipment, and casual clothing.
STRIKER RAYTHEAN
PIONEER RAYTHEAN
■ Raythean Striker and Raythean Pioneer, two Raythean Industries sub-brands. The former supplies equipment for special ops personnel, while the latter fills the niche for clothing suitable for extreme environments.